The Chinaberry Tree outside her Window
by Ariesque
Summary: COMPLETE Finale to the Diaries and Explanation. Jubilation tells the story of Remy's return but when John finds out about how Rogue still loves the thief, he decides to take matters into his own hands... sorry the wait!
1. Chapter One

The Chinaberry Tree outside her Window  
  
By: Ariesque  
  
Last Updated: 8-09-03  
  
Genre: Humor/Romance/Drama  
  
Rated: PG for language   
  
Author's Notes: Another one of those meshes I keep writing about. This one's got general POVs, but the story keeps jumping back and forth through the dates, so if you get confused, compare the dates. Also, at the end of every chapter, there is a small Institute Informative written by Kitty for the week. Hope you like it, and do tell if you get confused! On a lighter note, absolutely adored the episode today because Rogue kissed Gambit [though my sister insists it's because she was under a trance by Mesmero. But how do you explain the fact she went for the lips when everyone else she touched with her hand??? HUH?!] Can't wait for next week's, and don't forget to watch it yourselves!  
  
Chapter One: Chapter One [I'm being really lazy. Can't think of a title]  
  
December 12, 2003  
  
Sam Guthrie jumped off the jeep, both bags in hand. The manor was like it had been when he left for vacation--warm and one way or the other, good for you, like his mother used to say when he was sick and she gave him chicken soup. Nobody expected him back so soon, except Jubilation, who came running up to meet the Southern, black hair whipping wildly behind her head, wearing the excited expression that she only wore when they were going to Magic Mountain two times in a single week. She squealed as she threw her arms around him, the bags obviously hitting the ground before he did.   
  
"Git yur han's off meh, Miz!" he laughed while scolding her. "Da whole mansion'll see us, and y' know, X'vier don lahke no touchy scenes."  
  
"Xavier," she said, helping him back up, "doesn't like anything worth seeing." She insisted on carrying his carry-on, and they walked into the manor, side by side, as they usually did when they came home from a dance they liked or when Logan was calling them in for training.   
  
Then Sam asked, "So, what's bin go'n on, 'round 'ere? Anythin' new?" And of course, there was, especially with Jubilation, who knew everything and everyone.   
  
"Got myself a racoon, Mister Guthrie," she said, pridefully, with the name she automatically dubbed him since he never addressed her without saying "miss" in front of her name.   
  
"Fer reals?" he asked, in disbelief. "Didn't think Logan would let yah have one."   
  
"That's because my racoon isn't a skunk," she teased, making him remember the time he brought home a baby skunk.  
  
"Didn't know his spray worked dat young," he explained, annoyed that she had to bring up the forbidden subject. "Anything else worth talkin' 'bout, or do Ah haf tah ask Kitty?"   
  
"You know Kitty doesn't care about anything since she hooked up with that Piotr guy. He's so sweet and tender, it's like the world is as nice as he is, and you know the world isn't half nice any way you look at it." They had reached the front door now, and Sam opened it for her. "But git dis, Mister Guthrie: Remy's back!"   
  
"Remy LeBeau?!" he dropped his bag in another moment of disbelief. "Yah be pullin' mah dern leg, Miz Jubes! Dat feller jumped off eh building an' done himself in." In her annoyance, Jubilation smacked Sam dutifully across the shoulder.  
  
"I -told- you not to think that! Remy doesn't just go and jump off a building to die! If at anything at all, he was probably stealing." Ororo past by then, and Sam noticed her swelling stomach, underneath a maternity dress. Jubilation noticed his attention diverted and smirked.   
  
"That's gonna be a fine baby," she told him. Sam shrugged.  
  
"It's not that I was contemplatin' on, Miz Jubes. It's who's gonna deliver it, I'm considerin'." Jubilation frowned.   
  
"Well, I have lots to tell you so you could just forget about that baby business. Logan'll be fussing your butt off when he finds you're thinking the way you do."  
  
"Don't remind me, Miz. Just tell me about Remy--oh, and Rogue! Tell me 'bout her too," Sam insisted, for everyone knew that Rogue had something for Remy even if she was secretive. But Remy nobody could understand, so they just let him be.  
  
"Well, Rogue, you know how downcast she was and all, she'd sit by her balcony and sob sometimes, but for what reason and for who were never known (but I think it was because of Remy. But what do I know?). She'd just sit and sob and John'd come and take her out, and then she'd come back, tired and worn and cry some more.  
  
"But then, when Remy came back, she got all excited and dressed nice and did her hair the way she did it before...wear it down, I think. Anyway, Remy gave me Racoon--that's what I named my racoon-- on the same day he came back, and boy did I have a hard time keeping him away from Logan, because Logan loves those crackers...Goldfish, I think they're branded...and when ever he ate them, Racoon'd come and pounce on Logan, and who pounces on Logan except Sabertooth and maybe Ororo when Logan fails to get her pears or apples in opposite seasons, so Logan would shoot up like a firework and scream his death cry, and Racoon would just run away with the crackers, happy and full and delighted."   
  
"Miz Jubes," Sam said, patiently, "You're drifting."  
  
"No I'm not," Jubilation returned. "It's all part of the story."   
  
September 10, 2003   
  
In Bayville, if you had enough money, you could pay somebody to have your lawn done.   
  
But not at Xavier's Institute. If you had Logan as an instructor, and he was the father of an unborn child whose mother was prissy and angry because she wanted the child and didn't want the child, and you got him angry before he had his cup of coffee for the day, you were in for some serious yard duty.   
  
Which, in this case, was all Jubilation. It wasn't even her fault, too. She was just sitting at the dining table, reading the Funnies she had just stolen from Roberto, while eating her Fruit Loops, when Logan came in, snarling and growling. Then when he found nobody had made coffee on that particular day, he tripped over a chair and Bobby and Roberto broke out into fits of laughter.  
  
Until Logan turned on them and growled, "Who even -dares- to laugh at me, huh?!" And the boys pointed at Jubilation, so guess who had to tend the grass for the next two weeks.   
  
Jubilation, of course, knew she was jipped, and angrily stomped out, rake in hand, vowing that one day she would get back at Iceman and Sunspot for her unreasonable debt to pay for doing nothing.   
  
But just as she started raking the leaves, she noticed a shadow-- or something of that sort, on the roof, trying to get in through a window.   
  
-HER- window to be exact.  
  
It was all too much for her. With enough power, she threw an easy blast that almost hit the person square in the face if he hadn't moved away.  
  
That was when she got a good look at him. And recognized his face...  
  
"Gambit!" she cried, startling the man, who flopped out of the window in surprise, got his foot wedged between the shackles, slid down to the gutter, and basically fell off the roof. And the exact moment he hit the ground, Logan came out, steam coming out of his nose like a rice cooker about to explode--which was exactly what he did...Before he smelled Remy, who hadn't stirred from his unfortunate landing.  
  
"What's -that-?!" Logan snarled, his nostrils twitching. Jubilation knew she needed to cut Remy loose...even if she had to lie in doing so.  
  
"I...reached for Kurt's cologne when I was actually getting my own perfume?" Logan rose an eyebrow, like he smelled her fib.  
  
"Kurt's cologne smells like stale cigarettes and cheap wine?" Jubilation smiled, nervously.  
  
"Well, it -has- been sitting on the shelf for a while..." Then, Ororo saved her butt by sticking her head out of the window and yelling, "Logan! What happened to my raw eggs?"  
  
Which was returned, with "How many times do I have to tell you: YOU CAN'T EAT RAW EGGS!!!" and a cringe. He threw Jubilation a raging eye and snarled once more.  
  
"Get back to work...and get RID of that smell!!"   
  
When he had gone, Remy stood up, dusting himself off and rasping, "Cheap wine?! Cheap wine?!! Cabernet is -not- cheap! The cigarettes I can understand completely, but..." Jubilation interrupted him though, dropping her duty along with the rake, and rushing into his arms.  
  
"Remy, Remy, Remy! I saved your Cajun butt from getting whooped and all you can think about is wine! You goat...I knew you were alive all along!" she cried, as he patted her head. "Did you bring me something back from New Orleans?"   
  
He laughed, whole-heartedly. "Sure did, Petit..." He then drew out a humongous cage from behind his coat--the coat that hides everything-- and kept his hand in front of it, a wisping smile on his brown face.  
  
"Is it shiny, Remy?" Jubilation asked, eagerly. His face dulled, and her with it. "You forgot."  
  
"Completely," he admitted. "But it's better than jewlery."  
  
"What's better than -jewlery-?" she pouted, hopelessly.  
  
"Well, I knew you liked dogs..."  
  
"You got me a DOG!" she cried, getting excited again. He shook his head.  
  
"Think masks, Petit." Jubilation thought.  
  
"A dog wearing a mask?" He shrugged, apparently tired of the game as she was. Unlatching the caged door, a furry creature sprung at Jubilation without moment's notice, and its fur in her mouth kept her from screaming. Her first thought was that it was a squirrel, but then it crawled off her face and unto Remy's shoulders, where she got a good look at it.  
  
"You got me a -racoon-?" she asked, in disbelief. Remy grinned, and so did the racoon.  
  
"Of course," he said, with suave. But Jubilation wasn't impressed. She was...let down.   
  
"But we have racoons in Bayville! How does a racoon from Louisiana make any difference? And Logan'll kill me when he finds I've got myself a racoon! A RACOON!" The creature had jumped from its perch and was now pushing at Jubilation's cheeks.   
  
"It's different, Jubes, it is," Remy insisted, "He's house trained and he don't smell so bad if you give him a bath. He likes crackers, Goldfish especially, and likes pretty things." He grinned again. "Like you."   
  
"I'm so touched," Jubilation replied, obviously disgruntled. But the racoon had thought she was pretty and now wrapped himself on her shoulders, luxuriously. She rethought the situation--the racoon didn't smell so bad, and he was cute, and maybe she could train him to take revenge on Bobby and Roberto for her--the possibilities were endless. Logan would just have to deal.   
  
"Okay, I'll take him." She grabbed the racoon in her hands and smiled. "Rems, why don't you come inside for a spell--Logan's probably out and Rogue's upstairs..." His face turned cold for a second, but before Jubilation could question it, Remy smiled.  
  
"It's all right, Jubes. I just came t' see y' anyway. An' besides, I like de view from outside, down 'ere." Jubes looked up. Rogue, who had moved into Jean's room when she left for Bayville University, was by the balcony window, combing her hair. She hadn't seen them, which was fine, for Remy didn't look the least pleasant: his hair was muzzled, face jagged with stubble from the lack of shaving, eyes dull pommegranates with no fire like they once had. His clothes were torn and the fall didn't help him much, while his face drooped like he hadn't slept for ages. Jubilation was worried. Even his grin, when it did appear, wasn't worth the million dollars like it had been.   
  
"I gotta go, Petit," he said. Jubilation opened her mouth to protest, but he beat her to the last word. "See y' when I can, k'?" He patted her head, shook the racoon's hand, and disppeared like the thief he was. Jubilation, the racoon under her arm, frowned, and went back to the rake.  
  
December 12, 2003  
  
Sam handed Jubilation a peach. She frowned at it, like it was a rock that had no meaning to anything.   
  
"What's this for?" she asked, impudently. Sam smiled, patiently.  
  
"It's a Georgia peach. Thought you'd might lahke it," he said, taking a bite out of his own. Jubilation thought better of it and ate it, thoughtfully. "So, what 'bout Rogue? She jump on him any?"   
  
"How can she?" Jubilation replied, liking the fruit she was eating. "With those powers of hers, she isn't on the right wagon, if you know what I mean." Sam, who didn't know what she meant, nodded, stupidly.  
  
"But did she git tah see Rems?" Jubilation cocked her head sideways at her friend.   
  
"Rems told me to give her a note to meet at Clairemont's." She paused and Sam frowned.  
  
"So?" He asked, his patience worn thin. Jubilation was the best story teller around, but she made too many pauses. "Did she?" Jubilation looked up at him, between bites. The stare she gave him was sweet, which calmed him a bit.   
  
"Well, she had to get through John first."  
  
September 17, 2003 ~ Rogue's Birthday  
  
Rogue quit smoking, and it was driving her crazy. She hadn't picked up a cigarette since she last left Bayville, and even then, she craved it. John had insisted she stay on the patch, and because he insisted, she did. But it cost him the day without her. In fact, she had told everyone that if anyone were to even peep into the keyhole to her room today, she'd have to bash their nose in. Because they knew she meant it, nobody dared to. She didn't want to see anyone today, because today was her birthday, or the birthday that Mystique had given her. She never really knew her real birthday.  
  
So there you have it, she thought to herself, glancing out the balcony window. She had always wanted Jean's room because it separated her from Kitty and it had the best view of the backlot from the second floor. But it was also the loneliest place too--the sun rarely shone and it was across from the room that once belonged to...  
  
She stopped thinking. I'm happy Jean's gone, happy Scott's gone, happy...happy... She couldn't say his name. She had all the strength a person could handle and she didn't even have the courage to say his name.   
  
My heart is solid, but it ain't gold.  
  
Suddenly, there came a knock on her door, and Rogue almost fell out of her loveseat. Tragic, she thought, balling her hand into a fist, there will be some serious explaining after I open this door. She walked--staggered, almost, to the door, in which she swung open. There stood Jubilation, her eyes an innocent fit, face flushed with fear, expressionless. She looked at the girl who stared back, as if wanting for her to speak first. So Rogue did.  
  
"What dah -hell- do yah want?!" She spat. Jubilation stared, her mouth dropping and no words falling from it. "Well?"   
  
Jubilation swallowed. "I...I have here...a note." She handed it to Rogue, who grabbed it, reluctantly, ripped the sealing and shook the paper from its folds.   
  
Clairemont's, she read. 7 p.m...don't be late.   
  
"What kind of -sick- joke do yah take me fer?! Huh?!" Rogue rasped, staring at the letter. Jubilation shrugged. "Who's it from, Jubes? John? Ah told 'im Ah was busy..."  
  
"Oh, okay. I'll take it back now, if you don't want to go," Jubes offered, and snatched the paper away. Rogue, stared, dumbfounded. Jubilation stood back, her eyes blazing with some new courage Rogue had never seen before. "I'll just tell him you won't come. It's all understandable." That was when Rogue was hit with some flurry of confusion.  
  
"What's understandable? Who's 'him'?" Another shrug from Jubilation. Rogue cringed with irritation. "Why won't you tell me..."  
  
"Hey, you want to go? That's fine. You want to stay? That's fine too. If it's John who sent the note, then that's fine. But if it isn't John...well," Jubilation said, turning to go, "you'll never find out if you stay." Rogue whirled on her, angrily.  
  
"I -hate- guessin' games, Jubes, yah know dat! An' tah tease me on mah birthday--now dat's below dah belt, Sugah," she spat. Jubilation, indigant now, wiped the spit from her face and walked away.  
  
Without a word. Without a single word.   
  
Rogue, furious, slammed the door and sat in the corner of her room, pouting. Jubilation was obviously hiding something. Something so dastardly important, that even Rogue couldn't figure it out. But she was intrigued. If the note proved to be from John, then there would be no telling what she'd do to him. But if it was from someone else...  
  
Rogue looked at her watch. Six in the afternoon. An hour left to get down there. She'd have to hurry.  
  
---  
  
She had finished touching up her make-up when there came a knock on her door. Jubilation, Rogue thought. She expected her to come back. She needed to persuade her to tell her who...She stopped thinking when the door was opened and there appeared John, a dozen roses in his hand.   
  
"John!" she said, staring at him, then the roses. "Wh-What are yah doin' 'ere?"   
  
"Why luv," he crooned, speechless himself. "Were ya plannin' on leavin' tonight?"   
  
"Never mind dat," she rasped, quietly, and accepted the roses. "Ah -told- yah Ah didn care fer yur company t'night." John looked hurt.  
  
"Why not? What have I done so wrong?" he asked, in a voice so childish, Rogue had to look twice to confirm he was still twenty.   
  
"Nuthin', Sugah," she said, hiding her sarcasm. At least Ah know the invitation wasn't from John, she thought, abbrasively. "Ah just thought Ah'd go out alone. But," she said, patting the seat next to her on the loveseat, "since yu're here, y' can have mah company." John, liking her change in character, sat down next to her.   
  
"We can still go out, luv," he said, sweetly. She shrugged.  
  
"Ah don..."   
  
"How 'bout fer some coffee? A small date--yah deserve it on yur birthday," he offered. Rogue furrowed her brow.   
  
"At...Clahiremont's?"   
  
"Sure," he grinned, an arm around her. "It's nice out, no rain, no cloud, nothing to bother us." Rogue tried to look pleased.   
  
"Ah...guess so," she mumbled, a forced smile on her face.   
  
"Terrific!" John exclaimed, giving her hand a small kiss. "Yah still got dat ol' Rogue inside o' yah."   
  
---  
  
"She's not comin'," Remy stated, sitting back in his wicker chair. Jubilation sat across from him, a cup of chocolate in her hand. They were both dressed in coats, his brown, hers yellow, sipping their drinks in the most unconspicuous company. They were silent as they waited, looking like sullen Russians in the fall weather.   
  
"She'll come." Jubilation was apparently more hopeful than her friend.  
  
"She thinks it's from John doesn't she." Jubilation looked at him, scrutinizing his guess.  
  
"Well, Rems, he is after all her boyfriend. You forget the most obvious detail." Remy drank his coffee without another word. He was staring up ahead of him, and when Jubilation followed his gaze, she too turned silent. Coming up the walk way was Rogue, an arm woven through John's, heading through Clairemont's. Remy then stood up, throwing his paper cup into the waste basket.   
  
"Come Petit, we should go," he said, as Jubilation stood up as well. She frowned at his wanting to leave so soon.  
  
"You could still talk to her, Rems," she offered. Remy resisted looking their way.  
  
"It's not a good time," he said, and Jubilation knew he meant it. Without a second to spare, they disappeared from the square, one after the other, heads bent and no notion to turn around.   
  
The Institute Informative ~ September 18, 2003   
  
Hear, Hear fellow mutants of the Institute! Bobby and Amara are holding a balloon fight on Saturday: be there or be...not there! Yesterday, Rogue celebrated her birthday all to herself and was seen strolling by Clairemont's with her beau, John (sorry Rogue). Here's to another seventeen years!   
  
Also, Logan has seemed to have lost his shaver. If anyone has seen it, please let him know because last time I heard, Ororo doesn't like him hairy.   
  
Piotr, my other half, says that Magneto will be coming over for Halloween. Can it be true? An arch rival thinking of gracing his presence in our household? Jumping Xavier's wheelchair: that can't be right! But then again, Piotr never lies.  
  
---Kitty Pryde---   
  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
I got lazy today, sorry. Just hoped it wasn't boring and somebody actually liked it. Liked it? I do hope so. Please review, I do so hate to say it, but right now, I can't think of anything else to say. Except I bet you're wondering why Remy gave her a racoon. But that will come later, as everything always does. 


	2. Chapter Two

The Chinaberry Tree outside her Window  
  
By: Ariesque  
  
Last Updated: 8-30-03  
  
Genre: Humor/Romance/Drama  
  
Rated: PG for language   
  
Disclaimer [that I forgot to put on Ch.1]: Don't own X-Men Evo, but the places in Bayville I do.   
  
Author's Notes: Sorry for the long delay. Had to catch up with my European History homework before class started. Anyway, thanks to all who reviewed, especially to those who urged me to continue. Sad episode today. Rogue shouldn't have knocked Mystique off the cliff. It's not good karma, that's for sure. And now we know Piotr is under Magneto's hold because he has his family. But with Magneto gone [or possessed] because of Apocolypse, what'll happen to the dear Acolytes?  
  
Chapter Two  
  
..................................................................................  
  
December 12, 2003  
  
"So Remy didn't tahlk tah her?" asked Sam. They were unpacking his suitcase now, which wasn't easy. For his roadtrip, he had managed to spend more than he could carry.  
  
"Not that time, no," answered Jubilation, who lifted out his boxers from his bag. Sam snatched them away, but wasn't let off without a giggle. "He came back a week later though, because that was when Logan found out I had myself Raccoon."   
  
September 27, 2003  
  
There is a fine line between anger and annoyance, and Jubilation had crossed through both at the same time with Logan. He was in another bad mood this day, having lost his shaver and no coffee for the morning all in one week, and just discovered somebody had eaten his Goldfish crackers.   
  
He wasn't exactly a happy camper, to say the least.  
  
Ororo told him to forget about it, that the crackers and shaver would soon be replaced, and he'd have his coffee back as soon as she had the baby.  
  
But for many people, four months is too long to wait. So, Logan, in an effort to please himself, hopped into the X-Jeep and drove to the nearby supermarket. Little did he know that the exact time he left, Jubilation had discovered Raccoon was missing.  
  
Jubilation kept him in her laundry basket, and always took him out to feed him. But this morning, things were just too hectic: there was science homework she hadn't finished, meetings she had to cover with the Student Council, and breakfast to eat herself with the other housemates.   
  
When she had accomplished these things, she flew up the stairs, biscuits in hand, and went directly to the hamper to find that Raccoon had escaped! She feared the worst: the balcony, the window, the stairs, the garage, the street--he could be anywhere. But anywhere is not cutting to the chase.   
  
Raccoon had slipped from her room and managed to sneak into the X-Jeep, which, if you all recall, was being driven by no other than Logan!   
  
The grumpy Canadian, happy to have bought the shaver, his crackers, and some coffee at Clairemont's, loaded into the Jeep once again. He placed the just- bought goods into the passenger seat and suddenly smelled something foul close by. His first thought was Sabertooth, but then he rethought it and decided it was a dead squirrel he probably ran over on the way there.   
  
Then, when he was cruising a nice fifty miles per hour over the speed limit, he smelled it again...and this time, he knew it couldn't be just any dead squirrel...for when he looked at the passenger seat again, there, seated smugly next to his coffee, was a -raccoon-...and it was eating his GOLDFISH CRACKERS!!!  
  
This was just too much for the guy. He unsheathed his claws, and, with a hand still on the steering wheel, tried to stab the creature, who, seeing that it was in danger, leapt up and landed on the coffee.   
  
"Oh for the Love of God," spat Logan, who snatched the drink from its place in the cup holder, only to have it spill all over his hand. In his surprise, he dropped the cup and it landed on his thigh...and before you could even cry, "Jumping Xavier's Wheelchair," the X-Jeep was rammed into the side of the wall of Xavier's Institute's gate.  
  
Logan kicked open the door and fell out, his head hurting more than anything else. He laid himself down and stared up at nothing, until the raccoon climbed unto his chest, cocked his head, and with a mouthful of Goldfish, began to run away. But Logan was faster and had the varmint in his hand within a moment, the need to kill gleaming in his eye.   
  
"You'll wish you never met me...especially spilling--eating! My..." Logan started, but just as he was about to stab the creature, there came a familiar voice, shouting, "Logan! Don't!"   
  
Both mutant and animal glanced up to find Jubilation running to them, her arms flying everywhere. "He's mine!" she cried, taking the raccoon from Logan and giving it a hefty hug. Logan, dumbfounded, rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced.  
  
"Are you all right?" she asked him, when she was done kissing her pet, which Logan defiantly growled at.  
  
"Am I -all right-??! Burning my crotch, staining my jeans, having my crackers eaten, and the X-Jeep damaged!!! Does that even come NEAR to ALL RIGHT??!!" Jubilation shrugged.  
  
"There's no need to scream," she replied, haughtily. Logan, apparently fed up, took the raccoon from Jubilation and with a mighty toss, landed the animal a good mile or so away from the Institute.   
  
"That'll teach you to bring your stupid pets into this manor!" he spat, and taking up the remains of what he had bought, began the long walk to the front door.   
  
...  
  
Rogue heard the sniveling even before she opened her door. Ororo had told her about the happenings of earlier today, and she knew Jubilation was out all day, looking for the raccoon she had managed to keep. But now, the sniffs and whimpers spoke to her that the search was unsuccessful, and even with the willpower, Jubilation had come back empty-handed. Rogue glanced at the Asian, moved. Even though she was annoying with too much of her confidence, Jubilation Rogue liked, especially because she could stand up to Logan any time.   
  
Which was why she went up to the girl, offering to help her best she could. Jubilation was much appreciative. She led Rogue to the forest in front of the Institute, hoping to strike gold this time. They searched for a good half hour, before Rogue looked up and noticed somebody coming towards them. Jubilation called to the person, asking if they'd seen a raccoon about a foot long, and likes washing biscuits. There came a brief pause, before the person replied, "Jubes? Thet y'?"  
  
"Remy!" Jubilation cried out, and when Rogue heard that name, she stiffened like the trees around her. But her companion took no notice and rushed to her friend, all the while telling him about Logan's treachery and Raccoon's evanescence. Remy laughed and listened, hugged her when she started to cry and patted her head when she giggled at his concern.   
  
"Lucky f' y'," he said, taking out Raccoon behind his coat, "he found me 'fore he could git lost." Jubilation snatched Raccoon and promised over and over never to neglect feeding him again. That was when Remy noticed Rogue standing there, straight and tall, a face of frozen surprise for all to see. She wasn't planning on seeing him, obviously--but she wanted to. He saw her too, and if he were suspicious, he never looked it.   
  
Rogue flushed when Jubilation turned to her, smiling. "Okay, Rogue," she said, happily, placing Raccoon under her arm, "we could go home now." But even though she knew she needed to move, Rogue couldn't: just stop and stare and gawk at Remy. He smirked something mysterious, and said, "Halo Rogue. Nice t' see y' agin." She blushed.  
  
"Yah too," she muttered, and looked away. Jubilation whispered something to Remy, who turned and disappeared into the woods. Rogue never asked what she had told him, but even though she wanted to, she knew it had to do with her.   
  
They turned back, saying nothing.  
  
October 1, 2003  
  
Remy leaned back in his chair, suppressing a yawn. He would've much rather been observing the Institute, but he was at Vianne Sueax, the freaky restaurant that Piotr and Lance managed to exploit themselves and tear the place practically to pieces a few months before [1]. The bells on the door sung; Remy looked up to see Jubilation, Raccoon under her arm, looking around with the most daunting of eyes. But when she saw him, her face lit, and she moved to the table, seating herself across from him and Raccoon in her lap.   
  
"I've ordered you's favorite, Petit," he told her, offering Raccoon a biscuit. "Ham on rye with egg."  
  
"You remembered," she grinned, as Raccoon snatched the treat. "But that's beside our lunch meeting."  
  
"It must be important," Remy said, glass of gin in hand, "skippin' school t' see moi here." He drank the alcohol. Jubes shrugged.  
  
"Evan and Kurt do it all the time," she replied, hotly, as the waitress placed the sandwich in front of her. She tore it in half and gave a piece to Raccoon. "Rogue said she wants to see you..." Remy choked on his drink. Jubes waited as he collected himself. "Again," she finally finished, stuffing the sandwich in her mouth.   
  
Raccoon had taken to washing his biscuit in her glass of water. They watched him in silence, before Remy spoke.  
  
"When?" He had wanted to say why, but when seemed more appropriate.   
  
"When she's free," Jubilation returned, taking Raccoon off the table. "When you're free." Remy stared at his drink before finishing it with a single swig.   
  
"I can't." His voice was empty, like his glass. Jubes frowned.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because. She don't want t' see moi, Petit. She don't want anythin' t' do w' moi." He asked the waitress to give him another go. Jubilation reached out, placing her hand on his wrist.  
  
"That's what you think." Remy rose an eyebrow, discerning. "Don't get me wrong, Gambit, but it takes a lot out of Rogue to ask for you when she's with John."  
  
"Thet's my point, Petit. She's w' John." Jubilation withdrew her hand.  
  
"Go see her. If not for her, than for yourself. You do want to see her, don't you?" Remy glanced at her. She had him there.   
  
...  
  
There was a chinaberry tree that stood outside Rogue's window. When Jean moved out, Rogue moved in, and the first thing she wanted to do was chop it down. But with Kitty's Institute Informative, petitions were posted to not have it torn down, being that it was the oldest tree on the lot. So Rogue lost, much to her dismay, and dreaded waking up to see its branches stretch outside her balcony door.  
  
It was this tree that Remy had climbed to see her.   
  
He hadn't planned on seeing her this way, but if you narrowed his choices down, this was practically the safest. Logan had his room the wing opposite Rogue's and the chinaberry tree was his natural ladder.   
  
The clock struck midnight as Remy rested himself against the stump, and with minutes to spare, advanced branch upon branch until he had made it to the branch where it was low enough to jump unto the balcony. He landed softly, his movement sworn only as a result of the mild breeze, and with all the courage he could sum up, tapped lightly on the glass door.   
  
He didn't expect Rogue to start up as she did, swinging her feet over the side of the bed to see who would be at her balcony door. Maybe she expected Kurt, who sometimes teleported in his sleep, though he never knew. But Rogue looked up to see Remy, and Remy she only saw, and only Remy she gaped at. He resisted grinning.   
  
"Halo Rogue," he said, tapping again on the glass. The Southerner nodded. There was a slight pause, before Remy said, "So, y' just gonna stare at me like I'm an animal in de zoo, or will y' open dis door?" Rogue nodded again, this time, unlatching it and swinging it open so he could squeeze through.   
  
It was awkward after that. Remy glanced around the room, remembering the times he sat at the foot of Jean's bed, reading to her the day's lesson in Chemistry, or sharing strawberry ice cream with her when she had gotten a B on her Calculus exam. The room held so many secrets, he wished he could burn it right then and there, but then he caught Rogue's reflection in the vanity mirror, and remembered whom he really came for. Turning to her, he said, "It's big, non?"  
  
"Big," she muttered, as if to herself, and sat back on the bed. The clock on her dresser read 12:15 in glow-in-the-dark numbers. Remy recalled the times he had to come into Jean's room to shut off the alarm because she never got up for it. "How'd yah git 'ere, Rems?"   
  
"I climbed thet dere chinaberry tree, 'course," he answered, nodding to the tree. Rogue stared at it, and shook her head.   
  
"Dat thing isn't dah least bit fit tah be climbin', Gambit. Could've broken your neck, daresay." They exchanged confused looks, wondering if one thought they were concerned for the other. Then Gambit grinned.  
  
"Anythin' t' see thet look on yur face," he replied, sweetly. Rogue blushed, lightly, and hoped he didn't see. But he saw, and he liked what he saw, and his grin widened. "An' I was wonderin' what y' could possibly put Jubilation through just t' git me back 'ere."   
  
Rogue lost her words when she saw that grin, and didn't recall them until the end of his visit. He didn't stay a minute longer than he would've liked, because Logan could smell the dirt on an ant's back twenty miles away, or so Bobby reckons. Remy cautiously moved to the door, and Rogue followed, intrigued.  
  
"So yah just gonna go lahke dat?" He turned to her, an eyebrow raised.   
  
"What do y' think I should do? Stay?" he meant to say it indifferently, but his voice was blatantly tender. And it made Rogue blush harder.  
  
"Ahre yah leavin'? Goin' back to Nawlins?" Remy stared at her.   
  
"What's thet supposed t' mean?" he asked, suspiciously. Rogue wielded back, speechless.  
  
"Nothin'! Ah mean, ahre yah comin' back here?" He smiled to himself. She tried to rephrase something that was impossible to rephrase. Remy had her, like she had him.  
  
"Y'...want moi t' come back?" Rogue stood there, blankly.   
  
"Suppose Ah should," she answered, quietly. Remy, who hadn't counted on this, told her he'd send notice with Jubilation and descended down the chinaberry tree.   
  
"Suppose I should too," he whispered, and was gone. Suddenly, Rogue remembered what she forgot to mention: what notice? She had never sent Jubilation to get Remy to visit her. If at anything, it was all her proposition.  
  
The Institute Informative ~ October 2, 2003  
  
  
  
The balloon fight was spectacular. Bobby got me fifteen times, and I got Ray on his back. It was broken up though, by Mr. McCoy, who took up the remaining balloons and threw them at us himself.  
  
Jubilation has gotten herself a raccoon, that she named Raccoon [very original indeed]. She says that he likes biscuits, but washes them before he eats them, so if anyone is so kind to bake him biscuits, please include a glass of water along with them.   
  
Professor Xavier doesn't prefer me to use the expression "Jumping Xavier's wheelchair". He says it isn't becoming, but I'm beginning to wonder if anything is with that man.  
  
And does anyone know how to get grass stains out without bleach? I fell down during the balloon fight, and got a gigantic grass stain across the front of my pink shirt.   
  
Also, my other half says that he doesn't want anything for his birthday. I'd hate to see him so disappointed, so everyone pitch in for his birthday cake that I'll make.   
  
--Kitty Pryde--   
  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
[1] Reference to Snow in April: A Wedding Story, Chapter Six.  
  
Sorry about the slow updating, hope none of you mind so much. School starts in two days, and I have to memorize five pages of homework before it does. My procrastination has finally caught up to me. :P Serves me right. Special thanks to BasiaM, Character Flaw, Tiffany Dincht, anime-lover10, and nasty-goth for including me on their favorites' lists! I feel so love :) 


	3. Chapter Three

The Chinaberry Tree outside her Window  
  
By: Ariesque  
  
Last Updated: 11-26-03  
  
Genre: Humor/Romance/Drama  
  
Rated: PG for language   
  
Disclaimer [that I forgot to put on Ch.1]: Don't own X-Men Evo, but the places in Bayville I do.   
  
Author's Notes: So so so SORRY for the LONG delay. I underestimated sophomore year terribly. If you're stupid like me, you'd take all the honors classes the school has to offer at the SAME TIME. So I have no time to write or draw or even eat. It sucks, I know. But hey, at least I have a five day weekend so I'm hoping I can post as many chapters as I can.   
  
Chapter Three  
  
..................................................................................  
  
December 12, 2003  
  
Jubilation sat down next to Sam, who was sporting the sunglasses he got from Florida. "Does it make me look lahke a surfer, Miz Jubes?" he asked, dolefully, and the girl had to laugh.  
  
"Who are you trying to impress, Rahne?" there was a note in her voice that made Sam look quickly at her.   
  
"Is she here? Ah mean, raht now?" A dark look clouded Jubilation's eye. She knew Sam liked Rahne, if not loved her.  
  
"She's out, with Kitty," was the dull reply. Sam smirked, caprice filling his face.   
  
"Well, Miz Jubes," he said, taking off his sunglasses and putting them on Jubilation's face. "since I'm still interested in your story, Ah won be runnin' out any tahme soon. So did you see Rems again?" Her face remained dense, though, as she began again.  
  
"No. Actually, he skipped his visit one night. Piotr came to me the next day to tell me Remy couldn't make it. But I never really knew why."  
  
October 13, 2003  
  
The full moon was clouded at the eleven o' clock hour--Remy decided it was time to make his move. His agile legs, muscular in appearance, stronger than most expected, climbed the chinaberry tree outside Rogue's window. But it wasn't her window he was aiming for-- rather, Jubilation's. His feet pattered the balconies like rain--soft, and somewhat distant. He reached the third window from Rogue's without difficultly and tried to open it. Nothing gave way. Fearing he'd set off an alarm, he scanned the next window--the balcony door was open. He didn't know who owned that balcony, but he was willing to find out.  
  
He entered, the silence ringing in his ears. He couldn't resist feeling like something was devastatingly wrong with this picture, as if the balcony door was left open -purposely-. Remy dug his teeth into his tongue, as he heard the motionless breathing behind him...   
  
He turned, skeptical. Nothing. But when he turned back, something gouged at his stomach, and the blood rose to his head in surprise. Another shot to his jaw made it difficult not to count the stars that fluttered before his eyelids. But Remy wasn't the one to be beaten on the spot. Or so he hoped.  
  
He reached into his pocket for a card, but disposed the idea. The explosion would wake everyone up in the manor. He'd be revealed, and there would be major explaining to do. Instead, he ducked, and with his pole, he struck the leg of his assailant. The vibration rattled him along with the pole.   
  
What? Metal against metal?   
  
"Piotr?" He found himself asking. The oppressor seemed to have stopped breathing at the familiarity of his own name.   
  
"Remy?" So it was Piotr! The light was thrown on, and there stood the tin man, retracting his metal exterior all the while gaping at the thief. Remy resisted chortling. "Remy, is it really you?" Eagerly, Piotr plucked Remy from his crouch and dusted his trench coat off of invisible dirt.   
  
"Of course it is!" Remy assured him, thumping his old friend on the shoulder, "What did y' t'ink I was? Dead?" Piotr darkened at this joke.  
  
"You scared us all, Remy. It was not the brightest thing to do," he chided. Remy waved the scold away, and surveyed the room.  
  
"Say...nice place y' got," he told him, observing the giant oak chest, desk, and bed frame. A cake was on the counter, along with cards that greeted, "Happy Birthday!" Remy grinned. "Y' be celebratin' you's birthday w'out me? Are y' ashamed o' me or somethin'?" He threw Piotr a pout that drew a smile on the tin man's face. "Is it the eyes? C'mon, tell de truth."  
  
"Cake," Piotr said, ignoring the sarcasm and motioning to the morsel on his desk. "Have some."  
  
"What is it? Chocolat?" Remy went over to it. The frosting was an odd shade of indigo and the color of the cake itself told nothing short of a story. "Lemme guess, mon ami. Kitty made it?"  
  
"It is not that bad, actually," Piotr persisted. Remy gave him a face. "Okay, so it is. But it is the thought that counts."  
  
"So what are y' gonna do w' it? Hold it up f' a decoration or somethin'?" Piotr frowned.  
  
"No. I will eventually eat it. I guess." He looked insecurely at the cake and back at his friend. "Enough about giving grief to the cake. Tell me, why come back?" Remy's grin faded, and he poked around in his pocket for a cigarette.   
  
"T'ought I'd drop by t' say halo and all." He found his cigarette. "Halo."  
  
"I do not believe you." Piotr watched as Remy lighted his smoke.   
  
"Y' never believe me, Piotr. Face it."  
  
"I never denied not believing you. You are here to see someone, no?" Remy blew out his breath. A thin, almost transparent line formed from his mouth.   
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Mebbe?" Piotr laughed. "Tell me who?"  
  
"Jubilation. An' it's de truth." He laid a steady eye on his friend.   
  
"Okay, okay. Jubilation." His tongue struggled with the name. "But you are also here for...her, are you not?" Remy blew out a smoke ring.  
  
"You's up f' mind games, Petey? Figures." He said it, pettily.   
  
"She's out, Remy." He didn't say she was with John. Somehow, he knew Remy knew.   
  
"When is she not?" His voice was indifferent. The cigarette seemed stale in his hand which flinched when he let it burn his fingers. He suddenly turned on his heels, the urge to leave invading his heart. "Hey, Pete--tell Jubes I'll talk t' her later, just not tonight." He moved to the balcony, but Piotr held him back. There was a pause as Piotr huffed out an explanation.  
  
"Do not...do not go back the way you came. That wolf man...Logan...he will suspect you." Remy grinned, a chagrin grin.   
  
"Thanks." He saluted the tin man and decended down. The moon had just begun to wring itself out of the clouds, as the thief disappeared across the open field.  
  
He couldn't say for sure when he'd see Piotr again.  
  
October 27, 2003  
  
It was an unusually warm for a October, and Rogue had put on a summer dress, one of Jean's old ones, to enjoy the day under the gazebo. Xavier had built it to "expand the acre", and placed it close to the cliffs that wrung down into the sea.   
  
It was Rogue's favorite place to get away.  
  
John knew nothing about it, though she tried to tell him about it. He would have thought it silly to be dreaming up reveries in a gazebo - a gazebo!- instead of spending time with him. Kitty rarely came out to that corner of the Institute for exposure--the pool was her place. And Kurt, well, he was everywhere, but he spent more time at the Juicy Burger down the street than anywhere else.   
  
The only person she didn't count on finding her that day was the one who approached her. Humid for the day, Rogue had taken a seat on the gazebo, when she caught sight of a lean figure coming up the walk to the structure. At first she thought it was Kitty but instead, it was Jubilation, her hair split into two ponytails bouncing behind her head. She was fitted in a yellow dress that bared her limbs conservatively. Across her shoulders was Raccoon, a scarlet ribbon around its neck, a biscuit between its paws. Rogue observed this apparition and smiled to herself.  
  
"Ahfternoon," she greeted, as the girl stopped in front of the small building. She seemed to observe Rogue in the summer dress, with chestnut hair in a bun and white bangs behind her ears. Then, as if approving of her appearance, Jubilation smiled.  
  
"I never knew you owned that dress," she finally said, pleasantly, as she entered the structure.   
  
"It's Jean's. She left it behind fer me," Rogue replied, accepting Raccoon into her arms. The animal settled into her lap, as Jubilation leaned against the wall. "Ah mean, it's not lahke Ah want tah wear it. But it's...hot." The crashing of waves behind them filled the silence. Then Jubilation spoke.  
  
"He said he wants to see you again." Rogue tried not to perk at the statement, and felt her ears go red. "But only if you want to see him. He's going back, you know."  
  
"Goin' back?" Rogue blurted, regretting the outburst. Jubilation gave her an uneasy stare.   
  
"To...New Orleans. Figured he has to go back. Because of...of...someone. Bella, I think her name was...Bella..."  
  
"Belladonna," Rogue continued, her voice low. Jubilation looked at her, trying to read the language she knew nothing about.  
  
"You know her?" was the question, but Rogue hardly heard.  
  
"He's still goin' tah marry dat girl? After all these months?"  
  
"Maybe they were courting each other," Jubilation suggested, but Rogue still refused to hear her.  
  
"But...but..." They don't love each other. They couldn't possibly love each other. When Rogue failed to continue, Jubilation sighed.  
  
"Well, anyway, he's coming to the Zoo. Said that I should come, but I haven't anyone to drive me." She gave Rogue a pleading look. "You could just drop me off and leave me and come back for me later." Rogue glanced at her, curiosity filling her eyes.   
  
"All right. Ah'll drive yah. But don't expect me tah come back fer yah."  
  
Jubilation grinned. "Of course Rogue. Not in a million years."  
  
December 12, 2003  
  
"So the Zoo, eh?" Sam asked, watching Jubilation sort through her personal line of stuffed animals. She plucked a gigantic bear, twice as big as Logan, and placed it before the Southerner.   
  
"Remy got me this." She patted the animal, grinning. "I named him after the bear, Brutis."  
  
"So yah must have had fun at dis event, Ah suspect," was Sam's reply. For the second time that day, he saw Jubilation's face darken.   
  
"Not really," she said, petting the animal as her eyes left Sam's, "it was that day Remy decided to go back to New Orleans."  
  
October 27, 2003  
  
The bear is awake. He stretches, the fat rippling behind his coat. He lets out an enormous groan, then goes back to watching Remy, who is sitting a good distance away, under a chinaberry tree bursting with blooms. The thief listens to the many people talking around him. Some jeer at the bear for being lazy, others walk past the pen without even noticing the animal.   
  
"Brutis is awake," says one, and Remy's ears perk when he hears the voice. It's sweet, like ice tea to a parched throat, warm like a fire on a snowy day. He turns; smiles. Jubilation comes up the walk, her arm through Rogue's, Racoon on her shoulders. Remy stands, making sure his sunglasses are still on. They make him uncomfortable, but they are necessary. Since it is a hot day, he decided to leave his trench coat behind. Jubilation notices him without it, and grins. Racoon runs to Remy, but he hardly sees. Rogue has finally decided to look at him and she...smiles.  
  
Remy's heart buckles.  
  
"I was telling Rogue about how I got the name Brutis," Jubilation says, accepting Racoon back into her arms. "From Bruce and Otis."   
  
"I remember y' told me once," he says, ripping his eyes away from Rogue. It's hard, though. "Here." He reaches behind him and gives her a bear, three sizes bigger than the girl. "I got dis f' y'." Jubilation, who loves gifts, takes it, and runs off. Rogue looks after her with curiosity.   
  
"Dat girl can git away wit a lot of things." She glances at the bear, who has been watching the two of them for a while now. "I remember Brutis. He ran into the truck." She smiles again, and sits down. Remy becomes nostalgic with her presence.  
  
"I thought y' weren't comin'." He stands and meets her eyes. The silence between them is eerie.  
  
"Yer afraid of a lota things, Remy." His ears perk at the mention of his name. He goes slightly red.   
  
"I mean, I wanted t' talk thet night. But it was awkward." To his surprise, she chortles.  
  
"Awkward? How d'ya think it was fer me?" She stops laughing and her expression turns cold. "Ah shouldn't be here, yah know. John eventually finds out where Ah go without him."   
  
"Does he get mad?" She doesn't look at him.  
  
"Yah would too." Silence. Then from Rogue, "Remy..." She pauses. "Are you happy?" The bear roars as if he's heard her.   
  
Remy looks at her. "Are y'?"   
  
It takes a moment for her to answer. "Sometimes, Ah think you'd feel the same way if Ah was goin' behind yer back too. And yet," Tears fall. Rogue ignores them, "Ah know you'd understand. But with John, it's lahke he don't care. It's lahke he loves me only because it got rid of yah." She sits back, as if exhausted with her speech. Remy searches his pockets, pulls out a crumbled napkin, and hands it to her. She takes it, much obliged. He then takes his seat next to her, his eyes forever on Brutis.  
  
"I'll tell y' somethin', Rogue. When y' left again, I knew I wouldn be able t' stay in one piece if I wasn near y'. I ran away and posed my death 'cause I thought I'd lost. I've made some outrageous decisions back then and I can't say I won't ever again, but now at least I'm sure of what I want." He looks at her, and when he finds she won't look at him, he turns back to the bear. "I guess I left because I thought it was best, but den I realized y' were all that I needed." He wants to go on, but she suddenly gets up, her eyes glaring.   
  
"Ah can't love yah, if dat's what yah want. No: it's wrong." Remy is stunned.  
  
"What do y' mean? Do y' love John? Or do y' feel sorry for him..."   
  
"No! Ah won't abandon John..."  
  
"So you do feel sorry f' de guy..."  
  
"Ah won't leave him lahke yah left Jean! No, Ah have a conscience. And anyway, yah might leave me if Ah were tah love yah. Yah say all these sweet things now, but how 'bout when someone else comes along? And even when we were apart, yah promised tah write and yah never did...yah blew up that note..." She doesn't finish. Remy stands, surprised at her words so harsh and yet so true. She's seen what damage her palaver has done to him and doesn't know what to do. Then she leaves. The bear groans behind her.   
  
Institute Informative October 31, 2003   
  
  
  
Happy Halloween! My other half finished the cake in two days. I'm so happy he liked it, but he was a bit green for the next week or so. For the Insititute's Annual Halloween March, everyone, including Logan and Ororo dressed up! Bobby, Amara, Ray, and Jubilation won Best Group for dressing as the Ninja Turtles; Cutest Couple went to Piotr and me as Miss Muffet and he as the Spider [it was hard finding a costume for his size]; and Funniest was Professor as the Wedding Singer complete with wig and blue suit. I hope everyone had as much fun as me-- and if you want to see the picture I took of Logan in his Willy Wonka suit, I'll show it to you, but Logan forbids me to include it in this note.   
  
--Kitty Pryde--  
  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
Well, a lot has happened in this chapter...and if you missed any of it, I'll recap it kindly... Remy admits his feelings for Rogue, who, in disbelief, rasps this whole thing that she's bottled inside of her for quite a while it seems. But can you blame her? I promise more answers are on the way, and if you have any questions, include them with your reviews. I can guarantee half the answers are in Rumor Has It: An Explanation. And now for my endless rave of responses to reviews!  
  
sphinx chick: I forgot what Impact was about. Truly, I did. I mean, did WB just rip the show off the air again? Who am I suppose to attack with my hateful palavers now that Scott and Jean are off the air AGAIN? Cursed creators. And I included Amara's name in the Informative, but to tell you the truth, the girl bothers me. Maybe she should've been sent back to her island because she's way over her head. If you know what I mean.  
  
ishandahalf: [I'll tell you what I think]! I wanted the title to be catching. But now that I think of it, it's like, oh, I don't know, it doesn't catch. It's sad, I know. And pass the flavor blasted goldfish although you probably finished all of them by now, seeing how slow I update *sobs*   
  
Caliente: 1.) Yes, it is sorta like "Fried Green Tomatoes". Not that Fanny Flag would ever read my stories, though. 2.) In Rumor has it: An Explanation, it explains the whole evil John plot in Piotr's POV. Believe me, the story really has answers.   
  
Fuzzy Elf: Actually, I just like Jubilation. She's so happy and innocent, not like Kitty, though. In a naughty, happy and innocent way.   
  
Rogue Star1: In Rumor Has It: An Explanation, you should find the ring incident explained in the first chapter.  
  
ChaosCat: Between you and me [and the person who decides to read your note], Jean makes an appearance the next chapter. Glad you came around to reading my stories.   
  
Xx-Disturbed-xX: I want a cookie. 


	4. Chapter Four

The Chinaberry Tree outside her Window  
  
By: Ariesque  
  
Last Updated: 11-26-03  
  
Genre: Humor/Romance/Drama  
  
Rated: PG for language   
  
Disclaimer [that I forgot to put on Ch.1]: Don't own X-Men Evo, but the places in Bayville I do.   
  
Dedication: To Doctor Pepper. Who wanted to make me angry and found my site online. The persistence isn't thrilling and now you need to write another poem! J/K  
  
Chapter Four  
  
..................................................................................  
  
December 12, 2003  
  
"So dat was it? He just went back?" Sam's voice was full of disbelief. Jubilation glanced up at her friend with a questioning eye.  
  
"Well, not really. He stayed in Bayville for a while, where I caught up with him at Jimi's Bar. Raccoon found him, actually."   
  
November 12, 2003  
  
He had vowed never to go back to a life by the bottle, but here he was, drinking to his death, shot after shot of liquor. He didn't understand. Rogue wanted him, loved him, needed him. She never told him that, but she never had to tell him anything. He just knew. But then again, she just whisked him away like his feeling didn't matter, and maybe they didn't to her.  
  
But they did to him.  
  
"Monsieur, " he acknowledged to Jimi, the bartender, waving the empty shot glass in his quivering hand, "Another, please." The tender gave him a wary glance and muttered," Son, you don't look too good."   
  
"I don't know about my looks," replied Remy, watching him pour another glass of whiskey, reluctantly, "but I do feel awful." He took the snort and sipped it. It burned his throat, but it sure didn't melt his heart.  
  
"It's a girl, isn't it?" guessed Jimi. Remy pretended he hadn't heard. "Broken heart?" Remy grinned.  
  
"You's a bien guesser, monsieur. But y' must have lots of customers like meh--we keep y' in business." He laughed, a high and sick chortle that made the glasses quiver. Just then, the door opened, and Jimi looked up, frowning.  
  
"Sorry, miss, we don't serve underage." Snickers.   
  
"Oh, I'm not in for a drink, sir, I just came to see him." Remy turned to see Jubilation, Raccoon under her arm. He actually grimaced.  
  
"Go away, Petite," he hissed, tenderly, but sternly as well. Jubilation failed to budge.  
  
"Not 'til you come back to the Institute."  
  
"I don't belong t' them. Not t y', not to..." he paused, the name at the edge of his tongue. "Only t' the Whiskey and Ale..."  
  
"That's right, Rems, you don't belong to anyone. You downright hate me, and I swear to heaven I can hate you too, but Remy, you don't hate her."  
  
Her. Rogue. Remy's tongue felt raw as he downed the rest of the shot.  
  
"That's right, Jubes. I don't hate her. I came here t' tell her just thet, and y' know what? She won listen."  
  
"And you know why she won't listen?" She took a seat next to him despite the looks the bartender gave her, and forced Remy to look at her. "Because she's afraid. And you very well know she doesn't like John as much as she loves you." Remy furrowed his brow. He thought for a bit, drunk as he was, and suddenly knew what he had to do.  
  
"Thanks, Petite." He got up, dropping a few crumpled dollar bills unto the counter and headed toward the door.   
  
"Are you going back to the Institute?" He turned, an awkward grin on his face.  
  
"Give me a week." He blew a kiss and was gone.   
  
December 12, 2003  
  
"Do yah know where he went fer a week?" Jubilation glared at him, trying to remember.  
  
"Actually I'm not so sure where he went, except that he had unfinished business to attend to in Bayville. I just don't know what."  
  
November 17, 2003  
  
Bayville University is an enormous place. The dorms themselves stand on an entire acre surrounding the school. If you followed the bushes to the back lot, you could see the balconies and which ones were having a party. Remy did not enter the gate. No, that would make you conspicuous, especially if you were trying to conceal red eyes and a dirty trench coat. Instead, he rounded the back lot and followed the bushes to the last dormitory building. He climbed a nearby chestnut tree up two stores. From inside one of the apartments nearest him, he could hear Norah Jones crooning her music and knew he had struck gold. Come Away with Me, mused the thief, climbing unto the balcony. He glanced inside and saw the infamous redhead, putting aside Hamlet and scooping up a pile of halter tops not hers. She was alone by expecting company.   
  
Unlocking the door, he stepped inside as her back was turned to him.  
  
"Y' should really lock thet door, chere. People can come inside just like thet." She turned, her eyes filling with horror and amazement. When she didn't reply, Remy grinned. "What's wrong, chere? It's like you've been thinking I was dead dis whole time." That seemed to snap her back to reality. Her face grew rosy once more, and she took a step towards him.  
  
"No, Sherlock," she replied, "But..."  
  
"Oh, Jean, you seem scared. Of moi." His voice was incredulous. She smiled at that.  
  
She let out a sigh of relief that would've let the highest building crumble. "You're alive." Wrapping her arms around him, she held him for a moment.  
  
"It's not like I've never died before." He shrugged in her hold as if he died every day. "Y' shouldn't seem too relieved."  
  
"But I am," she pushed away from him, observing his shaggy appearance. "I've been worried sick since your 'death'. Sometimes, you only think of yourself, Remy LeBeau."  
  
"And I don't blame y'; I'm a selfish brute and should have been thinkin' of y' before I 'killed' myself." She sensed the sarcasm in his voice and sniffed.   
  
"That's so like you." She meant to sound hurt, but it came out nostalgic. He watched as she pulled out a platter of food from her small ice box. "Here. You're probably hungry."  
  
"Probably," he said, taking the plate. "Merci."  
  
Norah Jones was asking to come away with her on a bus and away from the lies. Jean watched him silently eat, and then said, "I bet you're a wanted man by both women and police alike." Remy bit into his meat. Turkey. He would've liked steak, but he didn't tell Jean that.   
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"It's supposed to mean 'I've missed you, Remy LeBeau.' " She sat in front of him, searching for something he knew nothing about. A string of his heart rung; he wished he had heard it from someone else.   
  
Jean read his thoughts.  
  
"But we both know why you've 'resurrected,' if I may." Uh-oh, thought the thief. Here it comes. "Tell me, Rems. How's Rogue?" The subject made his throat throb.  
  
"With John." Jean heard the note of disappointment in his voice and instead of feeling triumphant, she actually felt his pain.  
  
"Well, why are you here, Rems? You obviously didn't come all this way to eat leftovers and chat about what you've accomplished. No, if you are the Remy LeBeau I know, you'd be here for something."  
  
"Ex-ac-tly. Pre-cise-ly. Once again with your usual acuteness, you've hit the nail square on the head," Remy quoted from Rochester of -Jane Eyre-. Jean gave him a sideways glance.   
  
"Your sarcasm is daunting. Is your heart really that broken?" He let out a sigh that made even the whimsical Jean's heart melt.   
  
"Well, I can't stay long, chere. I just wanted to say..." he paused, as if recollecting his thoughts. "I'm sorry. For everythin'. Don think I regret anythin' from before--but we both learned things we should've learned months ago." He put aside the plate and huffed. "Anyway, I should go. It's better now thet y' know." He made his way toward the balcony, but Jean stopped him.  
  
"It's not your entire fault. I thought I loved you too. But it seems we're better off with different people." Just at that moment, the door opened, and low and behold, Scott Summers entered, carrying a grocery bag full of canned goods.   
  
"All right, Jeanie. I've picked up the corn you wanted, and I hope you like sweet corn, because that's all they had..." He looked up, and when he saw Remy, he immediately dropped the paper bag. It went down with a clatter and Jean grinned as Remy laughed.  
  
"'Til we meet again," the thief winked, hurrying down the balcony. He listened to Scott's swears while rushing over the University's gate, and smiled like he hadn't for months.   
  
November 22, 2003  
  
Rogue finally found it useless to sit in front of her window, wondering if he'd ever come back. But of course he won't, she thought, her eyes burning with tears, I told him I loved John. Not Remy--but John.  
  
"And I do." She stood up and stretched. "I really do love John." The branches of the Chinaberry tree quivered in the wind. Rogue shivered along with them. But somehow, deep inside her head and heart, she knew it was just another lie.  
  
She hadn't seen John for awhile now. It was if he was just another vision. But the only apparition that kept playing in her head was Remy. He had told her of his feelings and now...now? Her thoughts were temporarily broken by a knock at the door. Her heart actually palpitated--could it be? She rushed to the door, wanting one thing, expecting another, and she almost broke her wrist as she flung it open..  
  
"Rogue." Jubilation. In a mulberry dress. Her hair in its usual pigtails, she stood in the doorway, her blue eyes faint, Raccoon by her feet. Rogue gave her a simple smile.  
  
"Jubes. How've yah been, dahrlin'?" she slurred it, trying to hide the distress turning in her voice. Jubilation shrugged.  
  
"Two weeks, nothing to do (as usual). I've gained two pounds from eating coffee ice cream. Logan's throwing a fit now that its almost done." She shrugged again. "Swell. I'm doing swell. Two pounds heavier, yes, but I'm doing swell." She smiled heftily, staring past Rogue. "See you haven't really done anything since Remy left for New Orleans." Rogue's heart dropped into her stomach; even her hard facade couldn't keep Jubilation from noticing.   
  
"Is he all raht? Have yah spoken tah him at all?" Jubilation didn't answer. She was focused on whatever was past Rogue. Suddenly, there was a roaring noise and a few seconds later a terrible -Bang- sounded and echoed throughout the mansion. The girls flew to the window, wondering what on earth could be going on down there. Rogue let out a cry; there was John with the Chinaberry tree at his feet and a chainsaw in his hand.   
  
He had cut down the tree.  
  
They hurried down the stairs and into the fall air-- leaves were flying everywhere. When St. John saw them, his face glowed with pride.   
  
"Sheilas! It's 'bout time yah came down! Hey Rogue--" he pointed the chainsaw at the tree, "lookie what I've done."  
  
"Ah'll say!" Rogue cried, her face twisted in disbelief. "Why did yah do that?"   
  
"Why?" John questioned, "Because yah wanted the tree gone! Remember yah mentioned that yah wished someone would just chop it down cuz the branches were ugly to look at? So I saved yah the trouble and did it fer yah!" He tried reaching his hand to her hold her arm, but she moved away. At this, John's ears burned and anger flared.   
  
"Ah don't understand, John. Ah would've thought you'd tell me before yah did somethin' lahke this!" Rogue chided.   
  
"Yah don't understand?! I thought you'd be happy!" His eyes suddenly clouded, and a shadow passed over his face. If Rogue had noticed, she would've asked what was wrong, but she was too busy mourning the tree. "What dah hell is wrong with tryin' tah help yah out sometimes, huh? It's not like yah try helping me."  
  
"What?" Rogue looked at him, strangely. "What do yah mean by dat?"  
  
"I bet dat if LeBeau had done it, you wouldn't give a damn..."  
  
"What does Remy have to do with anything?" Rogue wanted to know.   
  
"You sure stick up for dead guys a lot, doncha?" John's eyes were ignited with a wild fire that was unfamiliar to Rogue. Something inside her trembled.  
  
"You're crazy, John," she spat, turning away. This seemed to enrage the Aussie; he grabbed Rogue and violently pulled her to him. Jubilation, seeing how things could turn ugly, tried to pry Rogue away. John immediately let go of Rogue and grabbed Jubilation's hair. Raccoon jumped on his shoulder and bit him. There was a tumult that followed before Rogue was able to get Jubilation away from John, who still held the chainsaw. There was a fierce silence, broken only by the howling wind.  
  
"What's gotten into yah, Johnnie?" Rogue asked, her voice far- off. Suddenly, as if broken from a trance, John blinked, glanced at the chainsaw in his hold, and threw it from him as if it were a poisonous snake. Then, holding his head, he staggered away, blindly and defiantly.   
  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
To all my faithful reviewers:  
  
Thank you so much for being patient with me. I haven't got the time to write as often as I want to anymore. But your reviews encourage me to update. Hope you liked this chapter and I also hope you stick with me as far as this story goes. How 'bout that John episode? Can he be taking a mind trip to disaster? Will Remy come back? Will Rogue forgive him?   
  
Maybe. I ono. :)  
  
Aubs2006: How qute! Actually, the wedding date wasn't really random; it's my birthday. :) Best Wishes to your cousin! 


	5. Chapter Five

The Chinaberry Tree outside her Window  
  
By: Ariesque  
  
Last Updated: 6-28-04  
  
Genre: Humor/Romance/Drama  
  
Rated: PG for language   
  
Disclaimer [that I forgot to put on Ch.1]: Don't own X-Men Evo, but the places in Bayville I do.   
  
A/N: QUESTION FOR THE READERS!!! I have been wondering lately, where does Remy LeBeau appear in X-Men 2 the Movie? I know his name pops up, but is that an appearance? Clearing that up would be nice. Also, I wish to take this time to lament my sorrow since X-Men: Evolution has been sliced off the air. And my dad taped over the episodes I recorded! bangs on T.V. Drat you knaves!!! DRAT!!! Anyway, I know you all have been waiting for this chapter to be up for a while, and hopefully it was worth the wait. Cries desperately I tried! I tried!  
  
Chapter Five  
  
..................................................................................  
  
November 25, 2003  
  
The snow was falling when Rogue reached the Dome. It had started early afternoon, and as the day progressed into night, the snow was coming down in clumps. She hadn't thought things through very well, having only brought a thin coat. She was trembling when she finally knocked on the door, half-expecting Magneto to answer as he always did. But when Piotr answered instead, her dread turned into anxiety.   
  
"Can we speak?" she asked, haphazardly. Piotr looked behind him, as if expecting some one to pop out of the shadows.   
  
"Come inside. Magneto and John are out at the moment." She followed the metal man into the main room. There, as if out of place, sat two chairs and a coffee table between them.   
  
"Ah gotta be honest with ya, Petey. Didn't think you'd be here today."  
  
"Magneto called me this morning. He told me he needed someone to watch the Dome while he and John went out. Business, I am suspecting." He motioned for the girl to sit, which she did. "And you, Miss Rogue? What troubles you into coming all this way just to see John?"  
  
She shifted in her seat, as if uneasy with the name. "Actually, Pete, Ah came tah see yah."  
  
He sat down across from her, and his face remained stony. "I can only wonder why." He looked down at his lap as if her gaze was unsettling enough.  
  
"Ah need tah ask yah about John. He..." she moved a piece of hair behind her hair and breathed out a quivering breath. "...ain't himself lately."  
  
"He is always like that. Crying for attention..."  
  
"No Petey. Ah think he's going violent." Piotr darkened at this comment. "Look. Ah need tah know what yah meant back at Jean's Wedding when yah told me tah be careful of him..." Piotr got to his feet at the mention of this. He walked over to the window and stared out at the falling snow.   
  
"It is not my place. Not anymore." Rogue stared at him. "But he can tell you."  
  
"Ah was thinkin' bout dat too." Her eyes left him and gazed at her gloved hands. "But dah truth is Ah'm scared of what he'll say...and what he'll do."   
  
"If love is true, he will understand." It was Rogue's turn to darken at a comment.  
  
"Dat's just it, Petey, Ah don't think Ah love him--if Ah ever did." She couldn't meet the stony gaze that had finally settled on her. "Remy's ahlive and it didn't take me long tah realize what Ah've been missing." Rogue glanced up at her listener. "Ah'm afraid dat John will hear he's ahlive an' he'll kill him out of spiteful rage. John is capable of dat." Her eyes glazed; she put her head down as if defeated.   
  
Piotr stared; blinked.   
  
For once, he had nothing to say.  
  
December 12, 2003  
  
Jubilation and Sam had finished a box of Chips Ahoy and were now moving on to the next box.   
  
"What you have to understand, Sammy, is that John ended up finding out about Remy being alive because he had overheard Rogue and Piotr talking over at the Dome one day. What really got him angry was that she had said she never loved him at all."  
  
"Dat's really what she said?" Sam was amazed, while Jubilation shrugged.  
  
"That's what Remy said when he told me. He also said John overheard Rogue talking about the docks, and how Rems met her there. Maybe that's why John didn't have too look far for him."  
  
November 27, 2003  
  
St. John Allerdyce was never regarded as a fool. Possibly insane, but never a fool.  
  
That was until he met Rogue, of course. From then on, he was the king of fools, having fallen in love with the one girl who he already knew could never love him back. He had had his time with her--no matter how short it was. Then, Remy LeBeau returned, and there went John, out the window.  
  
He was tired of being the second man, the person who waited around. He was no match for the thief of hearts, for unlike John, Remy had taken Rogue's.   
  
That was why John knew he had to end it. If Remy wouldn't die, John would just have to help him.  
  
Besides, a man can't resurrect himself twice.   
  
Institute Informative November 28, 2003  
  
A pawn shop was robbed this morning. No one saw the perpetrator, and thankfully no one was hurt. There were bullets and a gun stolen, and the police are yet to draw up suspects. If anyone knows anything, they are to report to the Bayville Police at 555-4321. Remember: you can remain anonymous.  
  
-Kitty Pryde-  
  
December 2, 2003  
  
There was something ominous in the air, but Remy LeBeau couldn't put his finger on it. He had been sitting on the dock for half an hour, watching the ships part and return. He wasn't waiting for anyone, really. But the pretentious business-- it wasn't right.  
  
That's what made it ominous.  
  
He wanted to leave Bayville once and for all, but he just couldn't bring himself to go away. There was something in his heart that told him that there was no point in leaving for what he was looking for since the beginning was right where he left it.   
  
There was a sound, a rustling to be more accurate. His sharp ears tried to place the noise, but it seemed to be coming from everywhere. Remy was worried. Not really about the sound, but mostly about the fact that his ears were failing.   
  
Suddenly, from behind, a sharp kick to the back of the head sent Remy staggering forward. He whirled around, trying to face his adversary, who immediately threw a punch aimed at the face. Remy dodged, kicked forward, making the attacker fly back for a second.   
  
"Oh, that was original," the man said, and Remy's ears perked. If he didn't doubt his hearing as he had, he could've swore it was St. John.  
  
"Johnnie?" Remy tilted a suspicious head to one side. The man chuckled.  
  
"Didn't think you'd recognize me." St. John had changed somewhat during the months Remy was absent. There was the paler face and the caved in features. The evil glow about his blue eyes actually made Remy nervous.  
  
"God, Johnnie. You look like death." The Aussie grinned.  
  
"Not as dead as you'll ever be." The way he looked at his fellow ex-lackey sickened the thief. "I heard you've been living all this time, Rems. So we didn't go to Nawlin fer nothin' after all. Rogue always failed to mention seein' yah."  
  
"Fer once I'd like t' not hear about Rogue," Remy said, exasperated. John looked abashed.  
  
"How unlikely of yah, mate! Certainly aren't the philanderer since yah left?" Remy glowered.  
  
"It's a lonely life."  
  
John chuckled. "You're preachin' tah dah choir." He smoothed down his hair and looked serious--something that threatened Remy indirectly. "And anyway, found out Rogue never was interested in me. Shameful, isn't it? She was tellin' it to Piotr. At least she spared me." Remy shifted in his boots. John was getting to a point. The question was where the point was. "She told him you and she used to meet here occasionally...figured my chances are better finding yah here if at anywhere at all." He gave a face so bitter that Remy pitied him.  
  
"I'm sorry, John," the thief said, and meant it. The Aussie spat on the ground.  
  
"Sorry? Bet yah are, since she loves yah after all." Remy did not look at him.   
  
"Really." Doubt clouded Remy's voice. "She told me she wouldn't give y' up."  
  
"Bah! We both know dat's bull. She wouldn't lie to Petey. Maybe tah yah, cuz yer a liar yerself." Remy looked up, hope crossing his face. It was all John had to see to harden into his already suppressed shell. "But enough of dat. I've reached my conclusion already. I've decided what I want to do. I want to kill Rogue. But just so you know, all those letters you gave her when yah were away--I got them first, I did. Burned them all so she didn't need tah. But that didn't keep you away. Yah kept coming back. An' if I had known yah were here already, I'd done dis a long time ago." Before Remy could see it coming, the gun John had was fired. It caught the thief, who immediately fell to the ground. A scarlet pool was collecting near his head as Pyro quietly put the smoking gun away.   
  
"Oh, and it was nice to see yah again. Really." John walked away whistling.  
  
---  
  
Rogue sat up in her bed, gasping. It had been one of those nightmares that seemed so real that she couldn't remember it. The night air seemed colder than usual, and she turned her head to observe that her balcony doors were open. Swinging her legs over the bed, she advanced to them, but as she turned their handles to lock them, she felt the presence of another in the room, and whirled around to face John, leaning against her door, those stony blue eyes scrutinizing her.   
  
"John?" she breathed. Her breath turned into tiny clouds in the room. He smirked, a mysterious, dark smirk, and came closer to her.   
  
"G' Day, Sheila." He stooped to kiss her lightly on the top of her head. As he did so, she noticed the lock on the door had been melted. She pulled back, questioningly.   
  
"What are yah doin' here, John? What's yer business?"  
  
John stiffened. "What? I cain't see my love?"  
  
"At four in the morning'?" He smirked.  
  
"All to myself, dat's what I mean, love." He did not hesitate to sit on her bed and cock his head in such a way that Rogue had to ponder what was wrong. "It's pretty chilly in 'ere, love. Doncha have insulation?" Rogue frowned.  
  
"John, Ah think yah should leave." It was John's turn to frown.   
  
"I don't hafta."  
  
"Cain't we talk tahmorrow?" John gave her a glare that seemed to slice into her soul.   
  
It scared her.  
  
"Not wise, love." He got up and started pacing the floor. "But den again, what is wise? Anyway, I didn intend on stayin' long. Surely, yah didn want me to." His frown widened as he stopped pacing. "No questionin' dat."  
  
"Please, John," Rogue began to plead. "Someone will hear yah..."  
  
"Let them!" His voice was alarmingly loud. Rogue's heart froze for she had never seen him so angered. His features suddenly softened and he relaxed a bit. "Sorry, love. Forgot where I was." He cleared his throat, continued pacing. "Just came tah tell yah what I thought about us." Rogue stared at the Aussie who started advancing towards her.  
  
"I saw him," he breathed, and Rogue didn't have to ask who 'him' was. "Still the same, cocky, tall, red-eyed thief we all knew him fer. Only dis time, nobody knew he had returned. Not even Xavier, but Remy hasn't been usin' his powers lately has he?  
  
"Well, I's be comin' down the street tah dah dome, an' I hear yer voice chattin' w' Petey and I listen in. Simple as det. But what got me was det Remy was alive and det..." he clenched his fists, "yah still had yer feelings fer him. So, as disappointed as I was, I got tah thinkin', well, Johnnie, Remy's back and yer Sheila's lovin' him as she always has, so what do yah do? An' would yah believe...? It was very simple. Steal a gun and shoot him. It was very unlike him tah not know I'd find him eventually and kill him."  
  
Rogue stared at John, stunned. Then, when the words formed in her mouth, she muttered, "John..." Her brain started screaming and she found herself at John's throat, yelling, "Oh Gawd, John! Yer friggin' playin'! Yah cain't! Yah couldn't!" He pushed her back, smiling wickedly.   
  
"Oh, but I did." He suddenly pulled out his weapon and now his smile was more menacing that ever before. "Yer playin' w' life or death, love. Only dis time, it's no game. I found out dah hard way, and now..." The encasement clicked. "...now, it's yer turn." Rogue could see the sheer madness on his face. Clearly, the Aussie had gone crazy.  
  
"Yah wouldn't kill me..." Her voice hoarse, she whispered her words. John, in all his delusional rampage, nodded, as if there were a part of him that didn't really want to kill her. There were shouts that could be heard outside her door, people banging on it, trying to toy with the knob. Suddenly, Kitty was seen phasing through, but as she did, John let out a bullet at the girl, who retreated, but was unharmed.   
  
John turned his head to glance back at the Southerner who had rejected his heart. He sneered. She had killed him many times before. This would be the perfect occasion to make her realize what she had done to him. No one makes John a fool.  
  
What you have to understand is that when madness takes over the id of the mind, the person lapses between true consciences. Here, John was having second thoughts about killing Rogue, even though his mind steadily told him to fire. Rogue was standing quite still now, her face dull without expression. The fear resided in the pools of her eyes, and even though the room was dark save for the glowing digital numbers on her clock, John could see her dread. She would not fly at him again--no. She was waiting. But for what? John had to look away as he paused.   
  
The gun quivered in his hand.  
  
"It was I dat blew up dat note, love. Not Remy." This was John's sane conscience speaking. He watched as Rogue's eyes widened, as if struck by a severe blow. "It meant so much tah yah fer him tah find it. And I couldn risk dat." The gun lowered. John would not succumb to the madness which Rogue had inflicted upon him. The madness a result of his love for her. The sane conscience was telling John that if he really loved her, he would let her go.  
  
When she made no effort to speak, John's mind clicked back to the insanity. The fire in his eyes returned--vengeance would be his.  
  
But not for long: Logan managed to burst through the door in time before slashing the gun away from the Aussie. He hardly seemed to notice as the Wolverine pushed him against the wall, detaining him like a cop would do.  
  
"It was almost mine," John was muttering, over and over again. Revenge. He was talking about revenge. Logan growled in his ear, and the Aussie made no further effort to speak. Rogue watched for a moment, and then, as if by impulse, raced out of her room, past the staring faces which followed her as she ran through the hall, coming quickly across Jubilation's room.   
  
It was no surprise to her that it was empty.  
  
December 12, 2003  
  
"It's like this, Sammie," Jubilation said, her eyes suddenly drifting seriously. "When Remy was shot, well, he was shot through the shoulder, and perhaps by luck, John didn't bother shooting him again, you know, to finish him off. To this day, no one knows why. But Remy, with his shot shoulder, managed to pull himself up and hurry to the nearest pay phone, which was a little over a half mile away. By that time, he was delirious, but gosh, did he ever hold on." She paused, as if to build momentum, and then continued. "He dialed my line, politely asked me to come down by the docks, please, to not tell Rogue but mention it to maybe Xavier, never once telling me he was shot. So you could imagine how stunned I was to find my dearest confidant nearly drained of all his blood, nodding his head to keep from fainting. But as bad as it was, he was able to express his deepest gratitude while being loaded on into the X-Jet by Logan and Bobby, smiling, telling Xavier that he wasn't paying attention and got shot.   
  
While this was going on, John had somehow managed to break into Rogue's room, and was threatening to kill her, so when Logan returned, he smelled trouble [literally], and hurried to Rogue's side. And to everyone's surprise, she wasn't harmed. She then went looking for me about Remy."  
  
"Sounds pretty bad," Sam Gurthie agreed. "Did he live?"  
  
"Well, Remy wasn't about to give up the battle he was winning. They pulled him through, they did, and then when it was all over and when Remy was in his right mind again, he told me to come in, and that's when he pulled at my arm, smiled, and said, 'How am I doing, Jubes?' and I told him he couldn't have looked any better. And could you imagine? He was happy because Rogue did love him after all, and that was the reason why he stayed alive."  
  
"Really?" Sam sounded doubtful. "He really told yah that?"  
  
Jubilation merely smirked. "You of all people to ask! Well, you never really have to inquire about happiness. You can always tell when someone like Remy is fulfilled."  
  
December 5, 2003  
  
Rogue stood in the waiting room, her back towards the room Remy was in. She had been there for three hours since Jubilation told her where the thief was recovering, and for three hours she had checked her appearance in the mirror, smoothed her black dress, straightened her gloves, all in the effort just to do such tasks over again. When she finally realized her hair could never be any fluffier, her face any brighter, her lips ever redder, she looked into the room.   
  
An ivy was hooked up to his arm, a blue blanket covering his lower body. His left shoulder completely bandaged, he slept with a look of peace that made her smile. She fought the idea that he could be dreaming of her.  
  
"He's been waiting for you since he was brought here, you know." Rogue turned to meet the eyes of Jubilation, Raccoon in her thin arms, red ribbon around its neck to match her dress.   
  
I've been waiting for him for eternity, she thought. "Ah don't wanna wake him just yet...he's tired..."   
  
"So he is." Jubilation smiled as she tenderly stroked Raccoon's back. "Tired of just seeing you in his dreams. Go on--I think he needs the real thing." Rogue did not stall any longer, for after all, love does demands presence.  
  
The soft creak of the door aroused the sleeping thief, and she wondered if she should retreat now, just to check her face one more time...  
  
And then his eyes fluttered open, a smile appeared on his face, and Rogue knew there would be no turning back.   
  
"At last." Remy grinned as he said the words. "She comes."  
  
Rogue took his hand in her gloved ones and stroked it. "Got me plenty scairt, Mr. LeBeau. Almost had a thought dat John finally done yah in." Remy laughed at her statement.  
  
"Were y' really thet concerned? Mais, y' eventually learn t' deal w' a thief." His scarlet eyes looked her face over as if never wanting to forget it. "Besides, y' can't kill a dead man twice." Rogue smiled graciously, and moved her gloved hand to his face. She then focused on his bandaged wound and her smile faded.  
  
"Ah almost cost yah yahr lahfe, LeBeau." He frowned, playfully.  
  
"Ah, but y' see, the real matter of de situation is whether it was worth it to be shot by mad man John in order t' end up in this bed, git fine accommodations, and bein' close t' de femme I love." He then grinned, and the world around Rogue seemed to melt away. "But det is just self-explanatory, really." Sitting up in the bed, he looked her square in the eye. "I'll tell y' de truth, chere. We're meant t' be t'gether. Y' know how I figger? I don't die. Everytime I attempt to, well, I always run int' y'. But no one's complaining." He leaned in closer to her, and it reminded her of that time she had landed in his arms in an attempt to save the wedding ring.   
  
Only this time, she really knew he loved her.   
  
"So, y' gotta ask yerself: is it worth it? To throw your life away f' a thief? To beat odds, powers, pain--in order to love?" he whispered, his nose almost touching her ear. She pulled back, gave him a small smile, and met his lips.   
  
Remy received the sensation of joy mixed with a certain pain, and just when he knew the throbbing in his brain would blow off his head completely, Rogue pulled back again. As dizzy as he was, Remy gathered his intellect and began to think.  
  
This kiss wasn't sweet like Jean's, wasn't sour like Bella's.   
  
This kiss, he felt, was love.   
  
"Self-explanatory," Rogue mentioned, and Remy had to agree.  
  
Institute Informative : December 23, 2003  
  
Good news, gang! Ororo gave birth to a healthy, seven pound baby boy they're naming Chuck, after no one in particular, but Kurt says it's Xavier's nickname, although no one is for certain [except for maybe Xavier himself]. Remy LeBeau is alive as well, after having tangoed with St. John, a.k.a. Pyro, who is being detained as insane for the present time, and almost lost to a bullet. For such nice treatment since he's come back, Remy says he will cook his famous soufflé when he gets out of his confinement to the bed. He's being tended by Rogue herself, which is an improvement because it's all about self-assertion with your feelings, honey.  
  
Note to Jubilation: Logan wants Raccoon exactly seventeen feet away from him at all times. Some sort of allergies he is complaining about.  
  
Also, a new chinaberry tree is growing outside Rogue's window again, but she does not protest to its presence. Who ever knew she'd take a liking to foliage?   
  
--Kitty Pryde--   
  
Hopefully that satisfies. (I tried! I tried!) 


End file.
